12 Best Fleece Jackets (Review) In 2021

Columbia Sportswear Company is one of the big players in the outdoor clothing industry. They’ve been around for over 80 years and are still innovating to this day. That’s why it was our first place to look when we were searching for the best fleece jacket. The Columbia Men’s Steens Mountain 2.0 is the one that caught our eye and turned out to be our Best Choice product. It can be quite difficult to tell the difference between men’s fleece jackets, so you have to look carefully into the product description.

It’s made from ultra-soft 100% polyester MTR filament fleece, which is pretty standard practice in the industry. It provides the perfect blend of warmth and flexibility, without weighing you down too much. It’s got two zippered security pockets, so you don’t have to wear a fanny pack or an overcoat to carry your valuables. Plus, it’s designed to have a classic fit with a zip that goes right up to your neck to protect it from the weather. They call it an everyday style piece, but we know you’re not buying this to impress your fashionista friends. You want it because it’s the perfect warm, flexible, and rugged outdoor companion. Make sure you also check our guide to the best Carhartt jackets for more great jackets like this.

If you’re the kind of guy that can never find a fleece sweater that fits properly, we’ve got the answer for you. The Columbia Men’s Big and Tall Steens Mountain is pretty much identical to the last product, except for the fact that it’s designed for the larger gentleman. That doesn’t just mean larger around the waist, they have sizes that have extra-long torsos for tall and thin men. If you’re not sure what your perfect size is, then go to Columbia’s website and use the handy size chart. Alternatively, there are plenty of reviews and questions on the Amazon listing explaining the different sizes.

It’s made from the same material as our Best Choice product and has the same full zip design. So, essentially this is our Best Choice for big and tall men. The only other difference is that it comes in a whopping 66 different color options, which is a rare treat for any man who usually finds clothes shopping difficult.

From the outside, this hooded fleece jacket looks more like a raincoat. But when you open up the zip and feel the soft and furry fleece inside, you’ll realize it’s so much more. Dickie is better known as a workwear company, but they also make some great outdoor clothing. Arguably, this is better suited to light outdoor activities than most of the fleece jackets on this list, because it also protects you from the rain without the need for a heavy rain jacket.

The shell is made from 100% rip-stop nylon, which is a woven fabric that is designed to be resistant to tearing and ripping. That means if you snag it on a rock, it won’t be ruined forever. However, it’s still not as durable as the polyester fleece material inside, which is why we wouldn’t recommend it for extreme outdoor activities. Dickies Men’s Fleece-Lined Hooded Jacket  has elastic cuffs and two slanted unzippered hand pockets. It could be improved with a couple of zippered pockets, but even without it’s still a great men’s fleece. If you need warm and reliable jackets, check out our guide to the best down jackets.

It was pretty easy to pick our Premium Choice product on this list. The Condor Men’s Alpha Tactical Fleece Jacket is probably the most badass fleece coat you can get your hands on. The military-inspired name should give you some indication that this fleece means business. It’s made from 100% polyester with Oxford reinforcement, which is basically a really high-quality, 200-denier polyester. That means it will keep out water and keep in the warmth better than any other fleece here.

The collar, shoulder, and forearm of the fleece are reinforced to prevent abrasion, and you get two shoulder patches. The other great thing about this fleece is the number of pockets. It comes with the two standard side pockets, but you also get a vertical chest pocket on the inside of the jacket to keep your valuables out of sight.

Just twenty years ago, it wasn’t possible to get a cheap and high-quality zip-up fleece. You used to have to pay a lot of money for this sort of outdoor clothing, but thanks to the advancements in technology you can now get it for less than $20. We had to choose the Hawke & Co Men’s Full-Zip Polar Fleece Jacket as our Best Value product because it’s the perfect option for someone who wants to stay warm and lightweight for next-to-nothing.

Of course, as with all budget options, it’s not as good quality as the expensive fleeces. But it’s still made from 100% high-quality polyester and has everything else you’d expect from a fleece jacket. It has a full-zip front, a standing collar, and two vertical zip pockets. It’s also got elastic cuffs, which means that it won’t become loose fitting when you put it through the wash. If you’re looking for a budget option, this is the fleece for you.

The Regna X Men’s Performance Fleece Jacket is a bit of a step up from the last jacket, but it’s still amazing value. At the most basic level, it’s pretty much the same construction as the other fleece jackets. It’s made from 100% polyester and has a brushed fleece interior. Plus, it’s a windproof fleece that’s warm and breathable, and it’s suitable for pretty much any outdoor pursuit.

The difference with this jacket is that it comes in multiple different styles: Classic, chest pocket, arm pocket, hood, high-neck hood. That means you can choose the perfect style for your needs. If you use it for running and want an arm pocket for your phone, choose the arm pocket. If you need protection from the rain, buy the hooded or high-neck hood. Not only can you find the perfect style, but it also comes in 29 different colors so you can match it to the rest of your outdoor clothing.

Helly Hansen is one of the more luxurious outdoor clothing brands. So, we knew the Helly Hansen 51598 Men’s Daybreaker Fleece Jacket would be one of the best on this list. The first thing worth mentioning is that this heavy fleece jacket is made in conjunction with Polartec, who are one of the most famous manufacturers of lightweight and warm fleeces. This combination of knowledge, technology, and style makes this an excellent choice for any adventurer.  

It has a full-front opening zipper, which is really high-quality and won’t just break after a few uses. And, it has zippered hand pockets on either side of the fleece to keep your valuables safe. But, the best thing about this fleece jacket is the range of colors that it comes in. Helly Hansen knows how to blend style and durability, which is why they’ve made the jacket in 38 different bright and diverse color options.

Baleaf isn’t a well-known sports brand, but they still make some pretty impressive gear. They started out by making cycling clothing and have now branched out into lots of different areas of clothing, included outdoors equipment. We decided to feature the Baleaf Men’s Outdoor Fleece Jacket, because it’s pretty affordable, really high-quality, and has everything you’ll need from your fleece jacket.

Like almost every warm fleece jacket, it’s made from 100% polyester to make it soft, durable, and breathable. One of the nice things about this jacket though is the quality of the zips and other seams. Sure, it might not be quite as good as a North Face or Condor jacket, but it feels like it’s going to last you a long time. It’s got a drawstring closure feature on the side of the jacket so that you can tighten the fleece around your waist. Plus, it has zippered hand pockets and elastic cuffs.

The next fleece on our list is the Knocker Men’s Polar Fleece Zip Up Jacket. This is an interesting entry into our list because it’s actually the cheapest fleece jacket, but we didn’t choose it as our Best Value product. The reason is pretty simple. This jacket is only a couple of dollars cheaper than the Hawke & Co Men’s Fleece Jacket, but there are a couple of reviews on Amazon in which people have questioned the quality of the jacket. The problem is that customers are probably expecting North Face quality for less than $20. Of course, it’s never going to be able to match up.

It’s still made from 100% polyester, but it’s not as high-quality as most of the fleece jackets on here. The parts of the jacket that is still pretty good are the zippered pockets and the full zip front. They’re high-quality and should last for a long time if you don’t pull the zip too hard. If you’re looking for a decent budget option, this jacket is okay, but we wouldn’t recommend it for serious outdoor activities.

If any of the brands on this list have serious mountaineering pedigree, it’s The North Face. Since 1966, they’ve been providing extremely high-quality gear for athletes and adventurers. So, we knew that The North Face Men’s Canyonlands Full Zip jacket was going to be one of the best fleece jackets out there. This jacket mixes elastane, fleece, and polyester to make it super durable and flexible. The polyester is better quality than most (at 243 g/m²), and it’s completely recycled, which should ease the minds of the eco-conscious consumers out there.

It’s lined with stretched, heather fleece making it one of the warmest fleece jackets available. Plus, it has a brushed back to make it more comfortable. The difference in quality is really noticeable in the small details. For example, the Vislon zips on the front of the jacket and all three pockets have a really smooth action. This could have easily been our Premium Choice product, and if we’re honest it’s just as good as the Condor jacket.

Marmot is another well-respected American mountaineering company. They’ve been making some of the best outdoor clothing for over 40 years and continue to be an innovative player in the industry. The Marmot Drop Line Men’s Jacket is one of their best fleece jackets and fits nicely into the middle of the price range. If you’re looking for something really high quality, but not quite as expensive as the Condor and The North Face jackets, this is the fleece for you.

It’s made from polyester, but Marmot prefers to market the material as 100-weight fleece. That means it’s super lightweight but can still keep you really warm, even in low temperatures. They use flatlock seams to stop the jacket from chafing against your body when you’re doing high-energy exercise. Plus, it even has what Marmot calls a DryClime chin guard. This actually absorbs moisture from your mouth when you’re breathing to stop from chafing on the chin.

Alpine Swiss are a US-based brand that seems to have taken their inspiration from Swiss manufacturers like Wenger and Victorinox. So, they’re in good company when it comes to making durable gear for adventurers. The Alpine Swiss Trent Fleece Jacket is one of the cheaper fleece jackets on this list, but we’ve included it because it has a nice thickness to it. A lot of the jackets in this list are thinner, but this one feels more like a thick pullover fleece when you put it on.

As you might have guessed by now, it’s made from 100% polyester. It’s got a high collar, with a zip that goes all the way up to the top. Plus, it has two zippered pockets on the side of the jacket. The only real downside is that you can only get it in two different colors.